The way you publish your content is key when considering digital and online advertising. For instance, filming an interview horizontally and publishing it on your Instagram feed may not be the most effective way of displaying your video. That is because your video will provide a low quality user experience, which is not a winning digital marketing strategy. In fact, creating and formatting digital content for vertical view has been the growing trend for content & digital marketers looking to grow their presence online.
Video content is going vertical
Vertical orientation has become the best practice, as dominant social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube design their application prioritizing mobile design first. Platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram are primarily mobile-based, making vertical-orientated videos optimal to generate results when posting online.
The preference for portrait video display over landscape content is a result of consumer data. According to research, close to 60% of U.S. online traffic comes from a smartphone or tablet device. This means, in order for you to reach your target audience in the most effective way possible, you have to understand the trends and format your video to meet your consumer’s desire. In other words, design for a mobile phone or device.
Following these principles when promoting your company video online will enhance your customer’s experience and, ultimately, help you convert. Think about it: no one wants to turn their head to the side to get a glimpse of your digital content. Making your video easily viewable and shareable on social media will ensure your content is received the way it was intended—to strengthen the impact of your video’s message and most importantly, deliver results.
Vertical videos are best practice for social media
Social media has embraced vertical video format by incorporating design and ease of use. Even with some of the more popular features allowing only for portrait-style content. For instance, Instagram’s Story feature and their even newer offering, IGTV, encourage—or rather, permits—your audience to view content upright, with the reaction and repost features only offered at the bottom end of your phone’s screen.
By creating videos in a manner that your clients have become accustomed to, you create a positive viewing experience and increase your odds of success, whether that be landing a sale or gaining another subscriber.
A feature that has taken the marketing world by storm is Live Streaming. In the fast-paced society we live in, it’s always interesting to see the next big thing or what a company is doing in real-time. Live videos are a great way to give people instant visibility into the action behind the scenes.
Customers want to interact with your brand, and live video streaming allows them to this easier than ever. Live video adds a human-element to the customer journey, which further drives your audience to take action. Sharing a moment with your audience in real-time not only lets customers to connect with your brand on a more personal level, but it allows new prospects to quickly see what you’re all about. You could create a social series as part of your content marketing strategy.
Similarly, Snapchat and Twitter designs are meant for recording and scrolling in a vertical, fashion. So, if you're capturing content directly from these applications, keep in mind your content must be shot in portrait mode to be fully compatible with these platforms. For Twitter, we also recommend turning videos into catchy GIFs, but we’ll write another blog article on that to show you how.
At our agency, we’re also fans of cell phone video for special cases, but there are steps you should take before releasing mobile videos to the world. Just because you’re filming from an app—like Instagram—with a filter, doesn’t mean it’s the best way to publish your video. Covering a corporate holiday party? Always capture shots vertically so nobody gets cropped out when you publish your video. Conducting interviews at a grand opening event? Make sure your subjects fit your frame vertically before you press record.
These small tips can save you time and money when you're curating your brand’s social media content. Want to grow your social media presence, but rather leave it up to the experts? We’ve helped hundreds of companies create beautifully crafted, on-brand videos for various digital platforms. Click here to speak with one of our video marketing experts and let us find the marketing strategy that’s best for you.
Are horizontal videos good for social media?
Crafting video content for film or TV still leaves opportunities for horizontal videos. Just think, the orientation of your TV and computer monitor is horizontal, therefore, the content intended for these platforms should be fitting to these displays for the best viewing experience.
That isn’t to say your video content should only exist in one format. The best practice is to have your video content available in various formats to fit your desired platform. Videos intended for social media should always be oriented vertically, while videos living on your website should be oriented horizontally. This ensures your video content will give you the professional look and feel that your company deserves.
The goal when creating a company video is to ensure your audience can view it, without compromising the quality of your product. If you have awesome ideas for video content but need help executing them, contact one of our marketing consultants to get started.
Remember, a mobile-first approach to creating digital content is wise if you are looking to stay relevant for years to come. With the release of new iPhone models each year and mobile applications growing in market size, it is safe to say that vertical video content is here to stay.
